APL SAVANNAH (8,500 teu) delivered

With the APL SAVANNAH phasing in, the far East – WCNA ‘SAX’ is now fully upgraded / Credit: Vladimir Tonic

APL has taken delivery of the APL SAVANNAH, a 8,500 teu vessel built by DSME of South Korea. The new ship is to phase into the Far East to North American West Coast loop ‘SAX’, which is now fully upgraded to ships of 8,000 to 8,500 teu.

Originally ordered in July 2010 as part of a ten-ship series of 17-row-wide standard 8,500 teu ships, APL later opted to change the type’s design. In June 2011, the Singaporean carrier and the Korean shipyard agreed to build the ships as compact 18-row-wide units with a bulkier hull and more compact exterior dimensions. Simultaneously, APL added orders for two more sister ships to bring the series to twelve units instead of ten.